Cheek-Thinning Instrument

ABSTRACT

It is an object of the present invention is to provide a cheek-thinning instrument which is designed to thin cheeks by entire facial muscular exercise to burn off fat of sagging cheeks. In specific, the cheek-thinning instrument which is comprised of a shaft and a pair of pushing parts which can be inserted into an oral cavity between an upper gum and inner surfaces of right and left cheeks or between a lower gum and the same, and which can apply load to entire facial muscles by opening and closing exercise of lips while the shaft is being pulled upward or downward of face.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cheek-thinning instrument designed toburn off fat of face, particularly of sagging cheeks, by entire facialmuscular exercise.

Conventional face-slimming tools, for example the one disclosed byJapanese published unexamined application No. 2003-135624, are known forinserting a spring-assisted cheek-slimming tool, which expands a mouthof a user out horizontally, then the user exercises to close the toolusing buccinators muscles, applying a load to cheeks or an entire face.

However, the face-slimming tool as described in the above Japanesepublished unexamined application No. 2003-135624 is designed to burn offthe fat by muscle exercise with the tool being held between the lips,therefore the tool exercises peripheral muscles of the lips, e.g.buccinators muscles, while providing small amount of exercise effect to

lavator anguli oris muscles, zygomaticus major muscles and despressoranguli oris muscles, all of which work to tone up the face.

The cheek-thinning instrument of the present invention is comprised of ashaft and a pair of pushing portions which can be inserted into betweenan upper gum and right and left cheeks or between a lower gum and thesame. It can apply load to entire facial muscles, particularly lavatoranguli oris muscles, zygomaticus major muscles and despressor angulioris muscles, all of which work to tone up the face, by opening andclosing exercise of lips while the shaft is being pulled upward ordownward of face.

The term “entire facial muscles” expressed in the present inventionmeans the above-mentioned lavator anguli oris muscles, zygomaticus majormuscles and despressor anguli oris muscles, and further include risoriusmuscles in central cheeks as well as buccinators muscles, foreheadmuscles and jaw muscles.

Therefore, the present invention is as follows:

-   -   (1) A cheek-thinning instrument which is comprised of a shaft        and a pair of pushing portions which can be inserted into an        oral cavity between an upper gum and inner surfaces of right and        left cheeks or between a lower gum and the same, and which can        apply load to entire facial muscles by opening and closing        exercise of lips.    -   (2) The cheek-thinning instrument according to the above (1),        wherein the cheek-thinning instrument has an interconnect which        interconnects the shaft with the pushing portions.    -   (3) The cheek-thinning instrument according to either above (1)        or (2), wherein a finger grip part is formed at the shaft.    -   (4) The cheek-thinning instrument which is comprised of a shaft,        a pair of pushing portions which can be inserted into an oral        cavity between upper gum and inner surfaces of right and left        cheeks or between lower gum and the same, and an interconnect        which interconnects the shaft with the pushing portions, and        which can apply load to entire facial muscles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides the effects enumerated below.

-   -   (1) The cheek-thinning instrument comprises a pair of pushing        portions which can be inserted into between an upper gum and        right and left cheeks or between a lower gum and the same,        therefore it can be placed between a gum and cheeks with ease,        and it can apply load to desired muscles with ease by pulling a        shaft with fingers. Specifically, it can apply load directly to        entire facial muscles by opening and closing exercise of lips        while the shaft is being pulled upward or downward of face.    -   (2) According to the above (1), the pushing portions are        placeable in an oral cavity regardless of upper or lower part of        it, therefore the cheek-thinning instrument can apply load        individually to lavator anguli oris muscles, zygomaticus major        muscles or despressor anguli oris muscles, all of which work to        slim the cheeks and remove wrinkles, while the shaft is being        pulled, allowing opening and closing exercise of the lips.    -   (3) According to the above (1), the pushing portions can be put        near the desired muscle(s) to slim, and by applying load        directly to lavator anguli oris muscles, zygomaticus major        muscles and despressor anguli oris muscles, all of which work to        slim the sagging cheeks, these muscles are exercised locally and        effectively burning off the fat thereof. Therefore the entire        cheeks can be slimmed.    -   (4) According to the above (1), by placing the cheek-thinning        instrument of the present invention in upper and lower portions        behind the lips, and by pulling the finger grip part with        fingers upward or downward of the face to apply load        individually to desired muscles while pursing up the lips and        cheeks, entire facial muscles can be exercised.    -   (5) Claim 2 provides the same effects as the above (1) to        (3). (6) Claim 3 provides the same effects as the above (1) to        (3), and because it has the finger grip part for the fingers to        grip around, application of load can be made more easily.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is an instructional drawing of the first embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is an drawing illustrating operation of the first embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the presentinvention, wherein the shaft is being folded.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory drawing illustrating facial muscles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A first embodiment of the present invention will be described based onFIGS. 1 to 3.

A pair of two-pronged pushing portions 2 is formed at one end of ashaft-shaped shaft 1. A finger grip part 3 is provided at the other endto help the fingers to grip around. The shape of the shaft 1 ispreferably either bent or curved. With bending or curvature providedthereon, it can easily apply load to entire facial muscles,

particularly lavator anguli oris muscles, zygomaticus major muscle anddespressor anguli oris muscles, by opening and closing exercise of lipswhile the shaft is being pulled upward or downward of face. The shaftcan be made of any kind of material such as metal or wood for example.However, it is preferably made of plastic including polypropylene,urethane, elastomer, etc. in terms of easy processability such asintegral-moldability. Further preferably, tips of the pushing portionsare made of smooth-surfaced and elastic material, such as rubber orsilicone, which deforms a little under a load. This is to preventinterior of the oral cavity from being hurt when a load is applied onentire facial muscles, particularly lavator anguli oris muscle,zygomaticus major muscle or despressor anguli oris muscle, when openingand closing exercise of the lips with the shaft being pulled upward ordownward of the face, the tips of the pushing portions being insertedinto between right and left inner cheek surfaces 4 and a lower gum 6.Still further preferably, the shaft 1 is made of bowable and elasticmaterial, such as rubber or silicone, which unbends or uncurves a littleunder a load so as not to hurt the interior of the oral cavity. Becauseit is formed by such material, the pushing portions 2 and the shaft 1can be deformed without hurting the interior of the oral cavity.

The two-pronged pushing portions 2 formed as described above, is placedbetween the right and left inner cheek surfaces 4 and an upper gum 6near right and left lavator anguli oris muscles 8 and zygomaticus majormuscles 9, followed by, closing of the upper and lower teeth, grabbingthe finger grip part 3 with fingers 7 to apply load upward on thelavator anguli oris muscles 8 and the zygomaticus major muscles 9, doingexercise of opening and closing the lips and entire cheeks repeatedly.The same is applicable to exercise depressor anguli oris muscles 10: thepushing portions 2 are placed between the inner cheek surfaces 4 and thelower gum 6 near right and left depressor anguli oris muscles 10,followed by, closing of the upper and lower teeth, grabbing the fingergrip part 3 with fingers 7 to apply load upward to the depressor angulioris muscles 10, doing exercise of opening and closing the lips andentire cheeks repeatedly.

A second embodiment of the present invention will be described based onFIGS. 4A and 4B, and is distinguished from the first embodiment by thefact that the shaft 1 is not integrally made but it has a hinge 12 atits central portion as shown in FIG. 4A, so that the cheek-thinninginstrument is foldable at shaft 1 as shown in FIG. 4B into a compactconfiguration when it is not in use. The above-described structure hasthe same advantages as the first embodiment. It is also possible that,instead of having the hinge 12 therein, the shaft can be separated intwo to be interconnected with each other with a screw when it is in use;and when it is not in use, it can be folded by loosening the screw. Itis further possible to provide a mechanical joint as shown in FIG. 5,wherein a convex portion 13 is inserted into a concave portion 14 forinterconnecting. When it is not in use, the mechanical joint can bedisconnected to divide the instrument into two parts for compactstorage.

A third embodiment of the present invention will be described based onFIG. 6, and is distinguished from the first embodiment by the fact thatthe pushing portions 2 and the shaft 1 are interconnected with aninterconnect 11. The above-described structure has the same advantagesas the first and the second embodiments.

A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described based onFIG. 7, and is distinguished from the third embodiment that the fingergrip part 3 is formed as a ring shape. The above-described structure hasthe same advantages as the first and the second embodiments.

Specifically, as long as the tips of the pushing portions 2 of thepresent invention is made of smooth-surfaced and elastic material, suchas rubber or silicone, which deforms a little under a load so as not tohurt the interior of the oral cavity when a load is applied to entirefacial muscles, particularly lavator anguli oris muscles, zygomaticusmajor muscles and despressor anguli oris muscles, by opening and closingexercise of the lips while the shaft is gripped with fingers and beingpulled upward or downward of the face, the pushing portions 2 areneither limited to the shapes described in FIGS. 1 to 6 nor to theaforementioned materials. However, material of the pushing portions 2needs to be free of harmful heavy metals, and preferably is sterilizableby boiling water or the like.

The shaft 1 of the present invention can apply load to entire facialmuscles, particularly lavator anguli oris muscles 8, zygomaticus majormuscles 9 and despressor anguli oris muscles 10, by opening and closingexercise of the lips while the shaft is gripped with fingers and beingpulled upward or downward of the face.

The shaft can be made of any kind of material such as metal or wood forexample.

However, it is preferably made of plastic including polypropylene,urethane, elastomer, etc. in terms of easy processability such asintegral-moldability. It is neither limited to the shapes described inFIGS. 1 to 6 nor to the aforementioned materials. Further preferably,the shaft 1 is either bent or curved so that it can easily apply load toentire facial muscles, particularly lavator anguli oris muscles,zygomaticus major muscles and despressor anguli oris muscles, by openingand closing exercise of lips while the shaft is being pulled upward ordownward of face. Still further preferably, it is made of bowable andelastic material, such as rubber or silicone, which unbends or uncurvesa little under a load so as not to hurt the interior of the oral cavity.Still further preferably, it has a finger grip part which helps thefingers to grip around easily. The finger grip part is neither limitedto the shapes described in FIGS. 1 to 6 nor to the aforementionedmaterials.

In the present invention, it is also possible that the pushing portions2 and the shaft 1 are interconnected by the interconnect 11. Because theinterconnect 11 is not meant to be put in the oral cavity any materialcan be used including plastic, wood and metal. However, it has amechanical joint mechanism such as a screw to interconnect or joint thepushing portions with the shaft.

The cheek-thinning instrument of the present invention is basicallymeant to be used in such manner that the pushing portions 2 are insertedinto between an upper gum and right and left cheeks or between a lowergum and the same, however, it is also highly effective to use thisinstrument in such manner that either right or left portion of thepushing portions 2 being put on a risorius muscle or a buccinatorsmuscle, upper and lower teeth being closed, finger grip part 3 beinggripped with fingers to apply load to the risorius muscle or thebuccinators muscle where the pushing portions 2 are put on, and doexercise of opening and closing the lips and entire cheeks repeatedly.

-   -   (1) The cheek-thinning instrument comprises a pair of pushing        portions which can be inserted into between an upper gum and        right and left cheeks or between a lower gum and the same,        therefore it can be placed between a gum and cheeks with ease,        and it can apply load to desired muscles with ease by pulling        the shaft with fingers. Specifically, it can apply load directly        to entire facial muscles, particularly lavator anguli oris        muscles, zygomaticus major muscles and despressor anguli oris        muscles, by opening and closing exercise of lips while the shaft        is being pulled upward or downward of face.    -   (2) According to the above (1), the pushing portions are        placeable in the oral cavity regardless of upper or lower part        of it, therefore the cheek-thinning instrument can apply load        individually to lavator anguli oris muscles, zygomaticus major        muscles or despressor anguli oris muscles, all of which work to        slim the cheeks and remove wrinkles.    -   (3) According to the above (1), the pushing portions can be put        on peripheral of the desired muscle(s) to slim, and by applying        load directly to lavator anguli oris muscles, zygomaticus major        muscles and despressor anguli oris muscles, all of which work to        slim the sagging cheeks, these muscles are exercised locally and        effectively, burning off the fat thereof. Therefore the entire        cheeks can be slimmed.    -   (4) According to the above (1), by placing the cheek-thinning        instrument of the present invention in upper and lower portions        behind the lips, and by pulling the finger grip part with        fingers upward or downward of the face to apply load        individually to desired muscles while pursing up the lips and        cheeks, entire facial muscles can be exercised.

1. A cheek-thinning instrument comprising a shaft and a pair of pushingparts which are configured to be inserted into an oral cavity betweenupper or lower gums and inner surfaces of right and left cheeks, and areconfigured to apply load to entire facial muscles by opening and closingexercise of lips while the shaft is being pulled upward or downward offace.
 2. The cheek-thinning instrument according to the claim 1, furthercomprising an interconnect which interconnects the shaft with thepushing parts.
 3. The cheek-thinning instrument according to claim 1 or2, further comprising a finger grip part formed at the shaft.
 4. Acheek-thinning instrument comprising a shaft, a pair of pushing partswhich are configured to be inserted into an oral cavity between upper orlower gums and inner surfaces of right and left cheeks, and aninterconnect which interconnects the shaft with the pushing parts, andwhich is configured to apply load to entire facial muscles by openingand closing exercise of the lips while the shaft is being pulled upwardor downward of the face.